The Aga Khan University’s Centre for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME), Karachi, in partnership with the AKU Medical College, has received the AMEE ASPIRE to Excellence Award from the International Association for Health Professions Education. The recognition places CIME among an international cohort of institutions named to AMEE’s ASPIRE Academy this year for excellence in simulation-based health professions education.
Since opening in 2017 as Pakistan’s first health care simulation centre, CIME has developed into the country’s largest health care simulation centre and has been described as the most advanced health care teaching and learning institute in Pakistan and East Africa. In 2020, CIME became South Asia’s first simulation programme to be accredited by the US-based Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). The ASPIRE Award adds a second major international benchmark to that record.
“Receiving the ASPIRE to Excellence Award in Simulation is a proud milestone for CIME and a significant moment for health care simulation in Pakistan,” said Dr Faisal Ismail, Regional Director, CIME, South Asia. “As an institution based in a low- and middle-income country, this recognition affirms that excellence in simulation-based education is not defined by geography or resources alone but also by vision, collaboration, and a strong commitment to improving health care.”
The award reflects the sustained work of CIME’s faculty, staff, leadership, partners, and learners in advancing simulation as a tool for education, patient safety, and health systems strengthening across Pakistan, and encourages more institutions across Pakistan and other low- and middle-income countries to invest in simulation-based education.
“This recognition from AMEE affirms what we have always believed at the Aga Khan University, that world-class health professions education can be built anywhere where there is rigour and commitment,” said Dr Tania Bubela, Provost of the Aga Khan University. “CIME’s achievement reflects the University’s broader mission to advance health outcomes across Pakistan and East Africa, and we are proud to see that work recognised on a global stage.”
The Award was presented to Dr Faisal Ismail at the AMEE Conference 2026, held August 22–26 in Vienna under the theme “Educators as Catalysts: Building the Future of Health”.
The award highlights CIME’s contribution to advancing simulation-based health professions education in Pakistan and reflects the growing role of simulation in strengthening health professional training and patient safety.
